Church standards
After carefully reading and following the issues surrounding Bishop Edward Braxton and the Belleville Diocese during the past three years, I feel it is time to express my thoughts.
How can the Catholic hierarchy seem to ignore what has been happening in our diocese? I reflect back upon my days of employment prior to retirement. Issues such as financial mismanagement, lack of availability and miscommunications would not have been tolerated. Would not the church be held up to the same standards?
The Belleville Diocese is in desperate need of a bishop who exemplifies the role of shepherd. The primary role of a shepherd is to lovingly care for the clerical and lay members of the flock to which he has been entrusted. This can only happen if he is truly available to them in order to provide exceptional and life-giving pastoral service, first as a priest and as a bishop.
I pray that the superiors of Braxton will provide another avenue in which he might exercise his gifts, and give us a pastoral shepherd to tend the Catholic flock of Southern Illinois.
Gus Koch
Columbia
Bishop defended
I think that most other orthodox Catholics are certainly tired of seeing our good bishop's name dragged through the mud.
It seems to me that these detractors are the ones who are misinformed. Yes, Virginia, there were bishops in the early church. And how many know that we have been declared a missionary diocese and just what that means? It means we are being sent priests from Africa because we do not have enough young men entering the priesthood to sustain us. Could this be a lack of good role models?
Do they know that a missionary diocese is funded in part by The Society for the Propagation for the Faith? Wasn't that some of the money Bishop Edward Braxton used? Oh, and vestments that were bought were not for himself but for poor seminarians.
Maybe some of us are a little too eager to believe rumors and place blame. As for not many people attending a Confirmation, what do you expect after all the derogatory publicity? Also, I'd rather have a bishop who is business-minded and goes by the book rather than one who wants to be liked and lets anything go.
Henrietta Harris
Swansea
On Planned Parenthood
I read the guest view March 11 by Paula Gianino, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. The article heaped a lot of praise on Planned Parenthood.
I have also read a book by George Grant, "Grand Illusions." It is presented in a well-documented format. It is a comprehensive expose of Planned Parenthood's history, policies, procedures and programs available to the public. It also tell of the life and the philosophy and belief of Thomas Malthus. The Malthusian Philosophy advocates that if western people are to survive, those physically unfit, the materially poor, the spiritually diseased, the racially inferior and the mentally incompetent had to be eliminated through most cruel means. Malthusian disciples propose education, contraception, sterilization and abortion to achieve those "more fitting for life."
Due to her Malthusian beliefs, Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger developed close associations with the scientists and theorists who put together Nazi Germany's "Race Purification" program. She openly endorsed the sterilization, abortion, euthanasia and infanticide programs of the early Reich.
When the atrocities of Nazi Germany came to light, Sanger was forced to back pedal her position and cover up her complicity.
Through the years since then, because of its public image, Planned Parenthood uses articles such as Gianino's and Orwellian double-speak to make it more palatable to the public.
The evidence shows that Planned Parenthood has not deviated from the days of Sanger.
Herbert D. Wilson
Troy
Nepotism at work?
The Carlyle Water Department advertised an opening for a day position at the plant. After applying and having one interview, I learned there also was an opening on third shift.
On April 15, the Centralia Sentinel printed the Carlyle minutes and an individual was hired for the day shift. This individual doesn't live in Carlyle and is related to a foreman at the plant. To my knowledge, he has no more licenses to work at a water plant than I do.
Now, who do you have to be related to for consideration on the third shift opening? Or is it because I'm female and the men don't think a woman could do the job to the highest standards? During my interview I stated I was willing to attend school for the license(s).
I live in Carlyle, have three hydraulic certificates, am well-qualified on computers, worked 16 years in a factory and worked on many machines including injection molding machines.
It just seems that if you aren't related to someone who holds a seat on a board or works for the city or county, you might get an interview, but the outcome is a relative gets hired.
Nepotism: Noun, favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving the jobs).
Cincy Cohoon
Carlyle
Looking out for No. 1
No matter how bad the economy gets, no matter how broke the government is, there is always money for political raises. Must be nice to lie, cheat and steal from the people and get rewarded by a outrageous $7,000 to $10,000 raise, to be able to vote yourself this gift.
When will people realize these scumbags, on both sides of the aisle, are for themselves and no one else? Though I'd love to see these swindlers go before a military firing squad, I guess I'll have to hope for a series of deadly tornadoes to put these useless guys out of our misery.
Steve Vandever
Cahokia
Disappointed by Oprah
What in the world has happened to Oprah Winfrey? In my opinion, she had fallen off the deep end with her new age teachings. All I can say is: Christians, beware. I pray this will not lead to the turning away of those searching for Christ.
Lynette Rae Ellner
Prairie du Rocher
Shades of Neville Chamberlain and pre-World War II diplomacy?
Not too long ago Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited the president of Syria, a country noted for exporting terrorism and hatred of the United States and Israel.
Recently former President Jimmy Carter met with the exiled leaders of the terrorist group, Hamas. To me, the only thing Carter is qualified to discuss with anyone is the price of Georgia peanuts.
Now there's Barack Hussein Obama, who will establish dialogue with the Iranian government if he's elected president. The Iranian government also is a leader in exporting terrorism, is totally committed to the destruction of our government, our freedom and the Judeo-Christian religion. Obama calls his efforts, a surge in diplomacy.
So we have Pelosi visiting Syria, Carter visiting with Hamas, and Obama, if elected, establishing dialogue with the Iranians.
Surge in diplomacy? Sounds like massive foreign policy ignorance to me. What's next? If Obama would be elected president, would he name Rev. Jeremiah Wright as his secretary of state?
Chapo Jones
Swansea
